Switch for incandescent electric lamps.



No. 756,049. PATENTBD MAR. 29, 1904.

0; M. PITEL. SWITCH FOR INGANDBSGENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 23, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented March 29, 1904. e f

PATENT Q FICE;

CONRAD M. PITEL, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.-

SWITCH FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 756,049, dated March 29, 19.04.

Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,254. (No model.)

To all whom it natty concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD M. PrrEL, of

Meriden,in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switches for Incandes cent Electric Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the figures of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specifica tion, and represent, in

Figure 1, avlew in side elevation of ahanglng incandescent electric lamp contalnmg my improved switch; Fig. 2, a view thereof partly,

Fig. 8, adetached broken view of the stem of the distributer-case, showing how it is slotted;

Fig. 9, a detached view of the binding-nut,

showing how it is slotted.

" invention relates to an improvement in switches for incandescent electric lamps, the object-being toprovide a simple, reliable, and convenient. switchparticularly designed for use in hanging lamps, but also applicable for use in; stationary lamps.

With these endsinview my invention consists in an electric switch having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will-be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims. As herein shown, I have applied my im proved switch to a hanging lamp, which may or maynot be an extension hanging lamp. This has a pipe or tube 2, which constitutes the main stem of the lamp-fixture and the upper end of which is adapted to be connected with the ceiling either directly or through the medium of an extension device. This tube is threaded at its lower end, as at 3, for

insertion into the internally-threaded collar 4: of the removable hollow cap 5 of a distributer-case 6, the tube being secured in the collar by 'a'set-screw 1. The said case 6 contains a receiving-cup 7 made of insulating material, such as porcelain or rubber, and held in place by screws 7, passing upward into it through the bottom of the case. Feed-wires 8 and 9, leading down through the tube 2, are respectively connected by binding-screws 10 with the upper ends of a pair of upper contact-plates 11 and 12, which are secured to the inside wall of the cup by screws 13. These upper contact-plates 11 and 12 are formed with contact-arms 14, located close to but not normally in contact with the upper ends of contact-springs 15, rising from the bottom of the 'cup and made integral withapair of lower contact-plates 16 and 17, secured to the inside of the cup, by screws 17 K Binding-screws 18 in the lower contact-plates 16 and 17, are provided for the attachment of the wires 19, connecting the two plates 16 and 17 and leading to and fromthe lamps proper or bulbs. The upper ends of the'springs 15 are inclined outwardly for the reception between them of a wedgeshaped switch-block 22, formed of insulating material-such as porcelain, rubber, or wood and provided at its ends'with guide-lugs 23, which move up and down in vertical slots 21, formed opposite each other in the cup 7. The said block 22 is mounted upon the upper end of a vertically-movable operating-rod 25, extending downwardly through the distributercase 6, through the stem 26,depending therefrom, and through thefixed handle 27, which is furnished with an internally-threaded collar 28, adapting it to be screwed upon the externally-threaded lower end of said stem 26. The'said stem carries the shade-ring collar 20, which is held in place by a binding-nut 29,

located directly below it on the stem, the said collar having arms 2O leadingto the shadering, which is not shown. The said rod 25 is provided with a movable handle Orfingerpiece 30, which passes through it at-a point above the fixed handle 2'7, which is graspedv;

in operating it. To permit the finger-piece to be moved up and down, the binding-nut 29 is formed with vertical slots 32 and the stern IOO 26 with a vertical slot 33, these slots being sufiiciently long to permit the operating-rod to be drawn down sufficiently to draw the switch-block 22 downward between the inclined upper ends of the contact-springs 15, so as to force them outward into engagement with the arms 14: of the upper contact-plates 12, as well as to permit the block to be lifted sufliciently to clear the contact-springs 15 and permit them to break contact with the arms 14. For the purpose of lifting the switch block, so as to cut off the electric current, I locate a push-button 25 at the lower end of the rod 25. By simply pushing upward on this button the switch-block is lifted above the contact-springs 15 of the plates 16 and 17 The devices above described afiord very simple and convenient means for cutting the lamps into and out of the circuit. It will be understood, of course, that the lamps are located at the ends of tubular arms 34, springing from the distributer-case. Under my improved construction all of the parts in the distributer are exposed for inspection when the cap thereof is removed.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention certain changes in the construction herein shown and described may be made. I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tosuch construction, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes therein asfairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a switch for incandescent electric lamps,the combination with a distributer-case,. of a receiving-cup made of insulating material located therein, contact means located within the case, a switch-block located in the case in position to operate the said contact means so as to close the circuit through the lamps, an operating-rod carrying the switch-block at its upper end and extending downwardly through the case, and means for manually raising and lowering the said rod, whereby the switchblock is brought into and carried out of play.

2. In a switch for incandescent electric lamps,the combination with a distributer-case, of an insulating receiving-cup located therein, a pair of upper contact-plates having contactarms, a pair of lower contact-plates having contact-springs arranged in proximity to the said contact-arms, a switch-block located between the said springs and arms and operable for forcing them into contact, a verticallymovable operatingrod having the .switchblock mounted at its upper end and extending downwardly through the said case, and a finger-piece and a push-button carried by the said rod for drawing it downward and moving it upward.

3. In a switch for incandescent electric lamps,the combination with a distributer-case, of an insulating receiving-cup located therein and formed in its side walls with vertical slots,

contact means located in the said cup, aswitchfor manually operating the said rod, whereby it is caused to coact with the said contact means to break and close the circuit through the same.

4. In a switch for incandescent electric lamps, the combination with a distributer-case, of an insulating receiving-cup located therein, contact means located in the said cup, a switchblock coacting with the said contact means, a vertically-movable operating-rod carrying the said switch-block and extending downwardly through the case, a fixed handle connected with the case and having the said operating-rod extended downward through it, a movable handle or finger-piece connected with the rod at a point above the fixed handle, and a push-button located at the lower end of the said rod and below the said fixed handle.

5. In a switch for incandescent electric lamps, the combination with a distributer-case provided with a depending externally-threaded vert'cally-slotted stem, of an insulating receiving-cup located in the said case, contact means located within the said cup, a switchblock coacting with the said contact means, an operating-rod carrying the said-block and extending downwardly through the said case and the stem thereof, a fixed handle applied to the said stem and having the said operatingrod extended downward through it, a movable handle or finger-piece applied to therod at a point above-the said fixed handle and passing through the slot in the said stem, ashade-ring collar applied to the stem, and a binding-nut also applied to the stem and holding the shadering collar in place.

6. In a switch for hanging incandescent elec tric lamps,the combination with a tube through which the feed-wires pass a distributerfcase, a cap therefor having the lower end of the tube entered into it, an insulating receivingcup located within the case, a pair of lower and a pair of upper contact-plates located within the said cup and secured thereto, a switch-block coacting. with the said plates, a vertically-movable operating-rod carrying the said switchblock and extending downwardly through the case, a fixed handle for the case, and means for manually operating the said rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CONRAD M. PIT EL.

Witnesses:

JOHN M. KINDER, LUIS KEME. 

